ROCHESTER — Rochester Post 7 wants to keep a good thing going as long as possible. As long as possible being the five-day American Senior Legion state baseball tournament, which starts Friday in Concord.

Post 7 won its final five games to slip past Derry and earn the top spot from District B with a 14-4 record. They play Laconia (7-7) Friday morning at 9 at Memorial Field. The eight-team tournament continues through Tuesday.

“Credit the kids for making sure they took care of what they needed to take care of to get themselves in the tournament,” said Rochester coach B.J. Gagnon. “We did that last year (get hot for a late run) and we’ve done that the last four or five years.”

Post 7, of course, wants to stay around longer than it did in 2012 when it went 0-2 and was gone after Day 2.

“Last year is definitely in all our minds,” said shortstop Luke Roberts, the team’s No. 2 hitter. “We were not happy with the outcome at all. That definitely lit a little fire under us.”

Post 7 is strong up the middle with catcher Alex Gray, shortstop Roberts and center fielder Zach Miller. Roberts and Miller are the elder statesmen, coming back to play after a year in college — Roberts at Boston University and Miller at the University of Southern Maine.

“(Roberts) has been incredible this year,” Gagnon said. “We say it all the time, but we’re very fortunate to have a kid like that in the dugout for three years. They don’t come around very often. It’s one less thing to worry about out there.

“Zach Miller returning and Alex Gray returning behind the plate, we’re solid right down the middle of the field,” Gagnon added. “That’s been important for us.”

Gray leads the team with a .443 batting average and 23 RBIs, while Miller (.344) and Roberts (.333) are both hitting over .300 and have combined for 57 runs scored and 38 walks. Miller has a team-high 21 stolen bases.

“I definitely feel I’ve contributed a lot more this year than I have in previous years,” said Gray, who hits in the No. 3 slot. “I’ve been hitting with runners in scoring position and I really didn’t do that a lot for the high school.”

The pitching has thrown strikes and let its defense make plays behind them. Ricky Kramer, who missed last Legion season and starred at Berwick Academy in 2012 and 2013, will get Friday’s start against Laconia. After that, it’s wait and see for Gagnon. Other starters are Mark Leahy, Zach Poisson, Josh Gagne and Loukas Brigham, who returned from an injury to beat Londonderry last Sunday, 4-3. Gagne has a previous commitment this weekend and may not be available until Sunday or Monday, if the team is still alive.

Poisson could get moved to the bullpen where Roberts and Kyle Bernier will likely get some use.

“We’re very strong defensively,” Roberts said. “Our pitchers throw strikes and we make plays behind them. We hit the ball, but our fielding is definitely our strong point. The fact that we’ve played pretty clean baseball game in and game out has really helped us this year.”

Rochester last won a state title in 1990 and is three years removed from its last trip to the final in 2010 (losing to Goffstown). It feels it has what it takes to be playing on the last day of the tournament.

“I think it’s more about if we can put it together and really be that TEAM that we’ve been the last week of the season,” Gagnon said. “The guys are picking each other up. They enjoying being at the park. They’re enjoying their teammates. They’re playing the game the right way. If we can continue to do that for five days and let the rest take care of itself, we’ve got as good a chance as anybody.”